South Korean ballerina Seo Hee, a member of the New York-based American Ballet Theatre (ABT), will play her first leading role in an upcoming performance of "Romeo and Juliet" in the United States, Yonhap News reported quoting organizers Thursday.
The 23-year-old dancer was cast as Juliet for shows scheduled in Detroit and New York in March and July, respectively, ABT officials said.
Born in Seoul, Seo joined the ABT Studio Company in 2004, becoming part of the main company as an apprentice the following year. She has been a member of the corps de ballet since 2006.
Seo began her ballet training at the age of 11 in her hometown at the Sunhwa Arts Middle School. Blessed with a physique tailored for ballet, she is the winner of the 2003 Prix de Lausanne Award and the 2003 Grand Prix at the Youth American Grand Prix in New York.
The ABT, founded in 1937 as the Mordkin Ballet, is regarded as one of the world's foremost ballet companies.